The One With Many Talents
by JDMmiraculous
Summary: When Chat Noir starts feeling down with how Paris sees him, he finds himself standing on Marinette’s balcony. What will happen when Chat realises how great Marinette is? (Reveal fic) (MariChat) (based on the Writevember prompts).
1. Sunset

The parisians watched with little interest as the leather clad hero, Chat Noir, launched himself across Paris. The hero watched with green, animalistic, eyes as the heads turned to look up at him, to realise it was him, and just turn away. There was a time when the citizens of Paris would look at him with awe and be amazed by his prowess and abilities. Now he was almost unacknowledgable. He was a normal thing. Something lurking in the background. He was now unimportant. Chat Noir understood. It had been years since he and Ladybug had first appeared, so it made sense. Eventually people became used to his presence. He would be fine with it, but then, he saw Ladybug. Or, more specifically, how the people saw Ladybug. When she swung through the city, the people still stared. They marvelled in her ellegence and her power. It was selfish of him, he knew, but it hurt. It hurt that she was seen as the hero, while he was seen as comedic relief. It hurt that Parisians saw him as a joke. It hurt that even his Ladybug didn't take him seriously. It was tainting. It tainted the precious freedom in which his miraculous gave him. He looked down at the ring on his gloved hand. He was just as important as Ladybug, right?

-Miraculous-

He slowed as the sun rested just above the horizon. The day had been one of thought. Of self pity and of self destructive input. Moving to a walk, he rested his baton over his shoulders. He really shouldn't care what other people thought of him. After all, he got plenty of praise as Adrien Agreste, but it still agitated him. Chat Noir was the real him, a version of him unshackled by his father, and his crazy restrictions. He could let go of his responsibilities as Chat. The joy he usually felt with being free was currently gone, replaced with a sort of dread.

He absently dropped to a lower level of the roof he currently walked on, and stopped to lean on a metal guard rail. He looked out into the city. He noticed how beautiful the view from this place. _I must remember this view. The Eiffel Tower standing strong in the distance. It's beautiful._ Chat Noir let out a deep breath. _Wait... if this was a roof why was there a railing?_

"Chat Noir?" A sweet voice questioned from behind him.

Chat Noir jumped, shocked from not being alone. He turned to see Marinette Dupain-Cheng, sitting on the edge of her lounging chair, with a small sketch book laying across her knees. Her sparkling, blue eyes stared into Chat's with curiosity. Chat looked right at Marinette. His eyes traced every part of her. Marinette's pigtails hung tightly behind her, her raven hair smooth and perfect, even if it was a bit frayed. A chewed pencil rested on her ear, hair hanging over it. _Cute_. His eyes moved across to her nose, and down to her lips. Pink and plump, they hung slightly open. _Again cute_.

His eyes must have lingered on Marinette's lips for too long, because a rosey pink flushed across her cheaks.

"Ch- Chat?" She stuttered.

"Marinette!" He responded a little loudly, as if he had only just seen her. "When did you- What are you- Ummm?"

A light giggle sounded and his heart fluttered. Then his heart caught. _WHAT WAS HE DOING! He liked Ladybug_. With a splutter of coughs and a blush, Chat spoke again. "I was just going for a quick walk, you know, before patrol with my lady."

His thoughts drifted back to his previous thoughts, and he looked away. Marinette's small smile faded into one of concern. "Are you okay, Chat? You seem down."

Chat turned back to look at her again. "I'm fine, Marinette. I've Just had something on my mind recently."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Marinette offered.

Chat Noir hesitated, before asking "Would that be okay?"

"Ofcourse!" She responded as if it were a utterly ridiculous question.

Chat Noir leaned back onto the guard rail for support. "Well, it's been years since me and Ladybug first appeared, right? And, well, in that time I have tried to be the best hero I can be. I try to protect as many citizens as possible and I protect my Ladybug at all costs. But that, of course, causes me to take a lot of hits."

Marinette knew this and had to, with great effort, refrain from wincing. Chat moved forward to sit beside Marinette.

"It's just in all, I've become a sort of joke in Paris-" Marinette made to speak, but then stopped and waited for Chat to continue. "- and sometimes it just makes me feel that all of Paris may just be..." a small pause, "a little ungrateful."

"Ohhhh, Chat." Marinette began to sooth, before Chat interrupted.

"I know it's selfish but-" he was cut off.

"Chat Noir, it's not selfish at all!" Marinette interjected. "You work just as hard as Ladybug, maybe even more, but you don't get the recognition you deserve! And don't say all of Paris is ungrateful. I know for a fact that at least two citizens know how awesome you are."

"Oh yeah." Chat Said, sceptically. "Who?"

"Ladybug and... me." She finished.

A blush spread across Chat's cheaks. "Well umm, thanks."

"No problem." She replied.

They both looked out into the city, to see the sun now setting against the horizon. The sky began to swirl in a flurry of orange and pink, as the sun started to fade from view. The light reflected radiantly off Marinette, beautiful against the evening sky.

Marinette pulled out the pencil from behind her ear and brought it down to a sketch book that sat on her lap. Placing the pencil to the paper, Marinette began to sketch feverously. Chat peered over her shoulder with curiosity, to which Marinette angled the drawing away from him. It was too late as Chat had already seen the drawing.

"Oh my god, Mari! I didn't know you could draw. I mean I knew you could draw designs but this!"

Seeing no purpose in hiding the drawing, she let the sketch fall back into his view. On the paper was a beautiful, flowing sketch of the sunset in Paris. It showed the Eiffel Tower, the city, and the sun behind it all. The whole image seemed to fit together, perfectly, as if part of a puzzle and Marinette had put it together. Marinette spoke. "Well, it's not done. I still have a lot of work to do." She closed the book very quickly and placed it under her chair. They sat together in silence for a few minutes, still staring out into the horizon.

"Well, I need to head off for patrol princess. Thanks for taking time out of your day to speak to this old cat. I'm _feline_ a lot better." A grin tugged at Marinette's lips as he stood up.

"Thanks for dropping by, Chat. And feel free to come and talk at any time."

"Thanks, _purincess. _I'll be sure to take you up on that."

Chat jumped up onto the guard rail, and gave Marinette a two finger salute. "I'll be seeing you. Have a good night!"

Chat Noir jumped into the direction of the Eiffel Tower, leaving Marinette behind who was yelling her goodbyes. Chat Noir had a large grin on his face. He had got to know Marinette a little better, his long time friend. She had always seemed rather distant with Adrien, never properly opening up. Maybe, with this new found talent of hers, he could have something to connect to her with. His grin broadened as he approached his meeting spot with Ladybug. It was going to be a great night.


	2. HardenGarden

Before I start this chapter I would just like to thank you all for reading this story. This is my second ever fanfic series and I will be writing it, along with finishing my first story, _Forever Ladybug_. The number of follows the story got on the first chapter so quickly astounded me, so thank you. Alright I'll let you get to your reading. The prompt for this chapter is garden.

-Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir-

Adrien lay in his bed, looking up to his bland roof. He had just finished off doing patrol with Ladybug and something was still on his mind. Ladybug seemed to have been very cautious when talking to him tonight. It wasn't something new, but every once in a while she would spend a night talking slower and thinking over every word she said. It was weird. They where friends so it didn't make sense that she would occasionally clam up. Oh well. A thought for another night. He was too tired to properly think about it. He closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep. The funny thing was that if he was awake enough he may have realised that Ladybug only acted like that on days he talked to Marinette.

-Miraculous-

Adrien stared straight forward at the statue of his mother, surrounded by a beautiful garden. The statue stood tall and strong above nature, her beauty easily caught within the stone. Her slender figure, beautiful face, and enchanting eyes where carved smoothly and expertly. If Adrien closed his eyes he could imagine the colour of life spreading over her. He could almost hear her breathing and see the expansion of her chest. He could imagine the warmth and love that he had so desperately missed. But then he would open his eyes and reality would come rushing back. The statue was just a statue. It was not alive, his mother was not alive. He ripped his gaze away from the lump of carved stone that immortalised his mother to focus on the garden white, green and red. The garden was alive. So unlike his mum. He had come to terms with her death years ago, but whenever he came here it came rushing back. How lonely he was.

He needed to distract himself. He needed to remember he wasn't ever truly alone. He had his friends and he had his Lady. The thought sent a wave of comforting warmth through him. His friends cared for him and he cared for them. Ladybug, Nino, Alya, Marinette. _Marinette_. She had always been rather confusing when it came to their friendship. She was a nice and wonderful person, for sure, but she was incredibly awkward and shy. It wasn't a bad thing, being yourself never is. It's just that she only acted awkward and shy around him. Around other people she was strong, confident and fierce. She didn't tremble or stutter around anybody else, but the second he entered the equation she would change entirely. It ment he knew a very limited amount about his friend. He knew that she was a designer, that she could bake, that she kind and forgiving and, thanks to yesterday, that she likes to draw sunsets. It kind of hurt sometimes as she had been one of his first real friends. It had been years and she still acted weird around him. What made it even weirder was that she was fine to talk to him when he was hidden behind a mask that covered a third of his face. So she really only acted this way around Adrien Agreste. _Weird_. Well, maybe he could put more work into making her more comfortable around him. After all, Ladybug hadn't always been comfortable around him. Not to the extent of Marinette, but still. Maybe he could try asking her to hang out someplace and after some time he could talk to her about their _unique_ friendship.

Adrien spared a glance at his phone. It was time to head to school.

-Miraculous-

"Hey, Marinette!"

Adrien's ears where met with a shriek as Marinette jumped 5 feet into the air. She twirled around to look at him and stumbled back. Adrien reached with his hand for her's and pulled her back up to him.

"A- Adrien! You're so sorry. I mean! Me! I'm so sorry!" Marinette blurted quickly. She quickly turned her head to look at her feet.

There was that stutter and clumsiness again. "It's okay, Marinette." He reassured. "So, I actually wanted to talk to you, you know, before your stumble."

"R- Really? About what?" She squeaked, straightening just a tiny bit. Nice.

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you would like to hang out sometime soon. We've been friends for a while, but we don't really know that much about each other and I thought it may be nice to, I don't know, chat?"

"Yes!" She said a little too loud. "I mean yes I would like that."

Adrien gave her a small grin. "Well I have some free time tomorrow, so how about we meet up then for some coffee?"

He was answered with a blushed girl nodding up and down very quickly. It was cute, but still annoyed him a bit, with how awkward she still was around him.

"Cool. I'll see you then!" He finished with a wave goodbye.

_Well that went well, Adrien. Good job._

-Miraculous-

Adrien once again sat in front of his mother, the chiseled face staring forward at the mansion. He remembered making this garden that surrounded the statue, working in the soil with his mother and father. He had loved interacting with his family, before his mother died. Loved interacting with people he cared about. And now he was moving forward and trying to further his friendship with Marinette. He already cared so much about her, as a friend he reminded himself, from all their balcony interactions. She was teasing and humorous, along with so many other great qualities that made a good person. He really looked forward to the times he spent with Marinette as Chat and he could only hope that one day she would act like that with Adrien, not just Chat.

In comparison to his friends, Adrien thought he was pretty regular. Yes, he knew he was talented in that he could play instruments, speak languages and fence, etc, but none of that really was that creative. Alya was a talented reporter, using her brain to weed out 'scoops' while Nino created his own music, unlike his reciting of written works. And then there was Marinette, who does pretty much everything with at least a _hint _of creativity. He really was undeserving. He looked back into the eyes of the statue. The statue stood, perfect while around it the garden grew, creative, natural. While both where beautiful, one was an imatation of life and it's creativity, while one was it's actual embodiment. Copy verses creativity. His friends where creativity and he was a copy.

-End Chapter 2-

Thank you so much for reading this chapter. As I have revealed to one reviewer, this story is about Adrien/Chat Noir coming to terms with how unique and great he really is. I look forward to writing more of this story, but chapters may be delayed for the next two weeks because of school exams and such, but afterwards I'll be able to write chapters more quickly. Thanks for all the favourites, follows, reviews and reads it really means a lot to me as a still rather new writer and I hope you continue to enjoy my writing. Bye!


	3. So-Comfortable

Today's prompt is soothe.

-Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir-

Gabriel Agreste sat, letting no emotion stretch across his features, as his son took the seat opposite the long and pristine table. Gabriel was rather displeased with the inconvenience, but his son had requested his presence, saying that it was 'urgent'. So now the man sat across from the child.

"Adrien." He greeted as if greeting a colleague and not his own flesh and blood.

"Father." Adrien replied, with the same manner. No love or attachment. "I don't know how to say this but-"

"Make it quick, Adrien." Gabriel interrupted snappily. "I don't have all day. I have very important business that would be a better use of my time than listening to you blaber on."

Irritation rose within Adrien. "_Business?_" He seethed. "Is that all you care about? Do you not care about how I'm feeling? I asked you here because I wanted to ask if you where feeling okay? After all even someone as emotionless as you couldn't forget what day it was yesterday, could you?! You couldn't forget that it was the anniversary of your wife's disappearance! Or don't you even care about that?!"

Gabriel was fuming. His features no longer impassive. Emilie was the one topic that sent Gabriel into a flurry of rage. Every fibre of his body seemed to want to wring Adrien by the neck and squeeze the life of them. Oh how Gabriel wanted to scream back. How he wanted to horrify his son and reveal what he had been doing for so many years, using his powers as Hawkmoth to try and save his beloved from her sickness. Oh how tempting it was. "Watch your tongue!" He snapped back, eyes blazing and standing up from his chair. "You have no right to say I am careless and you have no right to beckon me at your will!"

"No right?!" Adrein yelled back. "I have every right. I. AM. YOUR. SON. I have endured your miserable state for the last five plus years!"

"I haven't the time to deal with your childish bickering, Adrien!" Gabriel moves to the door, pausing one step before the end of the room. "You are lucky school is over for the year, or you would be kicked out in a heart beat! You will not be let out of this house unless I will it! And if you ever speak out of line like this again, you will be stuck in this house for the rest of your life!"

And with that Gabriel left with a slam on the door, leaving Adrien alone in the room to burst into tears.

-Miraculous-

Adrien burst into his room with a slam of the door. Plagg woke instantly from his sleep to see his chosen dragging his fooseball table in front of the door. "What's wrong, Adrien?" He asked, noticing Adrien's red eyes. Before he had a chance to push on Adrien lifted his fist and said quietly, and choked, "Plagg, Claws out."

-Miraculous-

There was no sound as Chat Noir landed on the balcony of the Dupain-Chang bakery, crouching down as he looking through Marinette's trapdoor. Marinette was pacing around her room, hands gripping at her head in a frustrated looking manner. Or maybe it was panicked? Adrien wondered what was causing Marinette such distress. Quietly he planted three quiet knocks on the glass.

Marinette's head instantly stared up at her balcony and also jumped in fright. A smug and playful grin spread across his face. _Cute._ Marinette seemed to collect herself, as she climbed up to her bed and poked her head out the trap door, blue bell eyes staring innocently up at him. _Cute. _

"Hey, Chat. What brings this stray," she says, gesturing to him, " to my balcony on this fine morning?"

Raising his palm to his heart, he fainted hurt. "Oh how you wound me, princess. And after a came by just to be graced by your presence." He finished with a pout. He was joking, of course, but maybe only half joking. He just needed to be put in a better mood and, well... Marinette was rather talented in making people feel better.

Marinette seemed to pick up on his bad mood, a look of concern spread across her features. "What's wrong, kitty?"

"It really doesn't matter." Chat assured, avoiding her gaze. "I wouldn't want to worry you-"

"You wouldn't!" Marinette interrupted. "In fact, it would put my mind at ease if you would tell me what's troubling my kitty." With a pout, she finished with, "By choosing to not let me worry, you make me worry, Chat. So what's wrong?"

A small grin crept onto Chat's lips. "Well... when you put it that way, princess, how could I possibly refuse?"

Marinette opened up her trap door to let Chat Noir through, to which he kindly obliged, jumping through and landing on her bed. Marinette, herself, shuffled to face Chat Noir, directly opposite of him. Worry was still etched upon her face.

"So Chat. What's bothering my poor kitty?"

That's when Adrien realised how dangerous this could be, talking to Marinette. She knew him in real life, not to mention that she's pretty bright. If he gave _too much_ information she may be able to figure out his identity. While the thought wasn't enough to deter him from talking about what happens, it was enough to make him to keep the details extremely vague.

So Chat Noir opened up. He started off slow and contained, only saying he hadn't been having the best day. As he continued, he began to explain how his out of suit work can be very demanding and that it puts more stress on him than even being a superhero. He talked about how taxing it can be on his body and mentality. And then... he moved onto his father. He told her that after a certain thing happened in his life his father had become distant and cold. He wanted to open up about his lack of freedom to Marinette, but thought twice about it, in that it hit a little bit close to Adrien. So he skipped that bit of info.

Chat continued, talking about how it had been a number of years since that time and today he thought it may be nice to check in on his father. He told her about how he had to make an appointment to meet with his own father, which surprised Marinette and filled her eyes with an almost knowing pity, and how his father had cut him off before he had even properly begun to speak. Tears begun to seep from his eyes and his voice became a slight whisper. He looked down into his lap. Marinette shuffled forward and wrapped Chat Noir in a tight hug. The cossy scent of bread and flour filled his nostrils, it's delicious smell relaxing his tears, along with the help of the warm hug. Her petit form had no problem fitting around his slim form. He rested his head upon her shoulder and she pressed her head and warmth on to his chest. It was soothing. It absorbed him and seemed to make him feel at peace. As if he was meant to be here with her. Normally he would shun himself for such thoughts. After all, he still loved Ladybug, but... Marinette was so... soothing. Just this once, he wouldn't care.

Lifting his head from her shoulder, that seemed to fit so well with his face, he continued to speak. In a quite tone he told her about his screaming match with his father, about how all he wanted was his father to care, and about he just didn't seem to. He, holding back his resurfacing tears, told her about how his father threatened him, though not what the threats where as it once again hit too close to home, and how it was affecting him. How it scared him and how desperate it was making him for time with the people he cared about and the people that cared about him.

The tears where once again flowing, but this time it was from two sources, not one. Hot tears fell into Marinette's hair, as her own tears rolled down Chat Noir's suited chest. The both clung to each other, searching for comfort, Adrien upset with his father, and Marinette devastated with the pain her partner felt and full of hate for who ever did these horrible things to him. Both let their tears flow. It provided a saddening calm. And then Marinette stopped and looked up from Chat's chest, and spoke for the first time.

"I care for you Chat. I care for you so much."

Her sad and broken blue eyes looked up into his. They seemed to be begging. Begging him almost, to understand. And then she looked away, putting her head back into his chest, before holding him tighter. Her tears began again, and Chat's tears increased in thickness. They clung to each other as if for dear life. The warmth and comfort of crying together, two comforting and emotional teenagers holding each other in hope of protecting the other from the rest of the cruel world. Adrien knew he would regret his intimacy with Marinette when he next saw his lady, but today he didn't care. All that mattered right now was him and her. And it was so, so soothing.

-End Chapter 3-

Hi readers! I am so sorry this has taken sooo long in uploading this chapter, I've been very distracted and tired, so I've had trouble writing. I promise I'll be better from now on. That said I am so thankful for the reads, follows, favourites and reviews, it really means a lot to me. Before Christmas I hope to get out a chapter of Forever-Ladybug aswell a one shot Christmas story. I'll most likely post another chapter of this story sometime very soon after Christmas. Now I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and have a wonderful Christmas. Bye!


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